Student Diversity: Teaching strategies to meet the learning needs of all students

To all of the teachers that we have had the privilege to work besideand to the many amazing students who have taught us

to be stronger teachers

© 2016 Pembroke Publishers538 Hood RoadMarkham, Ontario, Canada L3R 3K9www.pembrokepublishers.com

Distributed in the U.S. by Stenhouse Publishers480 Congress StreetPortland, ME 04101www.stenhouse.com

All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, scanning, recording, or any information, storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts from this publication may be reproduced under licence from Access Copyright, or with the express written permission of Pembroke Publishers Limited, or as permitted by law. Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders for permission to reproduce borrowed material. The publishers apologize for any such omissions and will be pleased to rectify them in subsequent reprints of the book.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Brownlie, Faye, author Student diversity : teaching strategies to meet the learning needs of all students in K-10 Classrooms / Faye Brownlie, Catherine Feniak, Leyton Schnellert. -- 3rd edition.

Includes bibliographical references and index. Issued in print and electronic formats. ISBN 978-1-55138-318-7 (paperback).--ISBN 978-1-55138-920-2 (pdf)

1. Inclusive education--Canada. 2. Mixed ability grouping in education--Canada. I. Feniak, Catherine, author II. Schnellert, Leyton, author III. Title.

LC1200.B76 2016 371.9’0460971 C2016-904203-0 C2016-904204-9 Editor: Kate RevingtonCover Design: John ZehethoferTypesetting: Jay Tee Graphics Ltd.

Printed and bound in Canada9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Preface 7

Introduction: Improving Learning for All 9

Towards a Model of Collaboration 9Building Vibrant Learning Environments 10Strategies Vital to Student Learning 11

1. The Classroom as a Learning Community 13

The Centrality of the Classroom Teacher 13The Rationale for Inclusion 14The Non-categorical Model 14First Week Considerations 18Day 1: A People Search 19Days 2 and 3: A Strategic Sequence 21Week 1 in Review 24

2. Standard Reading Assessment 25

Assessment to Promote Student Achievement 25Helping Students Assess Their Developing Skills 26The Assessment Process 27Using the Information 30

3. Getting Strategic with Strategies 35

Learning about Our Students as Learners 35Designing Lessons 39Starting with Information Text 40Teaching Reading in the Early Years 45Formative Assessment in Math 49A Winning Team 51

4. Writers Workshop: The Foundation 53

Guiding Principles 53Writers Workshop as a Foundation in Primary Classrooms 55Introducing Writers Workshop to Primary Students 56Getting Intermediate, Middle, and Secondary Students Started 61Editing and Building a Skill Focus 62Discussing, Conferencing, and Drafting 62

The Group Share 64Mini-lesson: Free Verse Poetry 65Mini-lesson: Letting Pictures Tell the Story 67Mini-lesson: Power Paragraphs for Information Writing 68From Writers Workshop to Inquiry 69Critical Literacy in Writers Workshop 71A Powerful Approach 73

5. Introducing Narrative Writing 75

Working Together: Writing in Kindergarten 75A Team Collaboration: Grades 6 and 7 80Week 1: Pre-writing 81Week 2: Establishing Writing Criteria 82Week 3: Working as a Group 84Week 4: Using the Criteria 85Week 5: Revising 86Week 6: Choosing Topics 87Week 7: Using Form Effectively 89Week 8: Establishing Criteria for Evaluation 91Thinking Back, Looking Ahead 92

6. The Class Novel 93

Reconceptualizing the Class Novel 93Connecting: Building Background Knowledge 94Processing: Building Meaning 95Processing: Reading with Understanding 97Transforming and Personalizing: Demonstrating Understanding 98

7. Literature Circles: The Basics, the Big Ideas, and Beyond 101

Conditions That Support Comprehension 1011. Reading Volume 1022. High-Success Reading Opportunities 1023. Engaging in Literate Conversations 1024. Useful, Explicit Strategy Instruction 103Literature Circles within a Term 105Extending Literature Circles into Personal Inquiry 107Extending Literature Circles into Dramatic Demonstrations 108Reflecting on Literature Circles 109

8. Poetry: Three Invitations 111

1. Thoughtful Discussion 1112. Three-Dimensional Poetry 1123. Architectural Tours 113

9. An Integrated Unit: Social Studies and English Language Arts 117

Curriculum Content: Children’s Rights 117Beginning the Unit 119Gradual Release of Responsibility: A Weekly Pattern 120Sample Assignments 122Cross-Curricular Team Benefits 129

10. Science: Multiple Intelligences at Work 131

Integrating the Multiple Intelligences for Learning 131Evaluation: Multiple Representations of Understanding 132Thinking Like a Scientist 136

11. Math: Reaching All Learners in the Classroom 139

Reconsidering Tasks and Lesson Structure 139Introducing Division 141The Making of Mathematicians 146

Conclusion: Making a Difference for All 147

Bibliography 149

Recommended Children’s Books 152

Index 155

13

1 The Classroom as a Learning Community

Imagine a combined Grades 4 and 5 class of 29 students. Of this 29, four are level-one and level-two (just beginning) students for whom English is an additional language. Five are identified as level-three ELL (English Language Learner); one is diagnosed as having a severe behavior disorder and is on medication to assist him in self- control and in monitoring his behavior; one is extremely challenged to control his behavior but has not been identified as having special needs; and one student has a learning disability in the area of expressive output. Support is available for these students, largely on a pull-out basis, from the ELL teacher, the resource teacher for students with severe learning disabilities, and the area counsellor. Another student in the class sees the area counsellor weekly in a friendship group. Added to this, the learning- assistance teacher supports students who require short-term intervention.

Each of the professionals who support these “children with special needs” is capable and highly supportive of the students and of the classroom teacher. The end result in the classroom, however, is a constantly revolving door. The teacher is left wondering what is actually happening with all the programming for these students, and what she can do to support their learning in her classroom, where they spend most of their time. Some days, the whole class is together in the classroom for no more than 30 minutes. This situation has made it challenging to build a classroom community where students respect one another and value diversity.

The Centrality of the Classroom Teacher

Return to the same school two years later. Many of these students are now in a combined Grades 6 and 7 class. The class composition is similar, but the school has shifted to a collaborative, non-categorical support model. In this model, the classroom teacher is central and is involved in the design of how support ser-vices will be provided to her students. One learning resource teacher is assigned to each class, and together the classroom teacher and learning resource teacher establish a plan of how best to address the learning of all the students in the class, including those identified with special needs. The time available for the learning resource teacher to work with the classroom teacher is equal to the combined times of the former various support teachers.

Each team — resource teacher and classroom teacher — receives two hours of planning time at the beginning of the year to determine their course of action. After that, if more planning time is required, it is sought out on an “as needed” basis. Some students, especially level-one ELL students, may be pulled out of the classroom for direct instruction from time to time as needed.

In the past, the pull-out model of giving teacher support to students with specific needs meant a constantly revolving classroom door.


However, most of the support occurs in the classroom, where both teachers work with all of the students on their agreed-upon plan. In this classroom, all students learn together for most of the day.

The Rationale for Inclusion

Inclusion — enrolling all students in age-appropriate, regular classrooms — is the norm in North America. It is based on the following beliefs:

• Studentsbelongintheregularclassroom.• Studentslearnbestwhentheyarevaluedmembersofacommunity.• Deeplearningandskilldevelopmenthappenincontext.• Studentswithspecialneedsrequireongoingeffectiveprogramming.• Thisprogrammingisbestprovidedwhenaclassroomteacherandasingle

resource teacher collaborate to better meet diverse needs.

Inclusion affects all teachers, not just the regular classroom teacher. When we speak of a “non-categorical model of resource support,” we mean that the one learning resource teacher for the class works with the classroom teacher to address the needs of all students: students who are learning English as an addi-tional language, the severely learning challenged, the intellectually challenged, students with severe behavior disorders, the physically and multiply challenged, the culturally diverse, students who have mild to moderate learning disabilities or communication disorders, students who are gifted learners.

Moving from Fragmentation to Communities of Learners

In the past, the support model was based on aligning specific students with specific support teachers. This practice often resulted in fragmentation of the classroom, as students came and went to see specialist teachers. These special-ist teachers searched for time to collaborate with classroom teachers to plan for and reinforce the students’ specific learning goals when these students were in the regular classroom. Working in a collaborative, non-categorical resource model does not preclude one-on-one time outside the classroom for specific students, nor occasional pull-out programs. The main focus, however, is provid-ing more effective programming for all students for as much time as possible each day.

We are trying to create a community within the classroom to support learn-ing. All students, including students identified as having special needs, are the responsibility of the classroom teacher. It is critical that we reduce the number of contacts the classroom teacher has with people whose job is to support the learning of identified students. Too much fragmentation does not support maintaining a vibrant, cohesive learning community.

The Non-categorical Model

In Elementary School

In our preferred model of support — non-categorical — the roles of the support teachers are amalgamated into a resource support team. A classroom teacher is

In a non-categorical model, one learning resource teacher for the class works with the classroom teacher to address the needs of all students.

The traditional support model often resulted in fragmentation of the classroom, as students came and went to see specialist teachers.

The Classroom as a Learning Community 15

assigned one non-categorical resource person for a number of periods per week, based on need. The learning resource teacher works with several classroom teachers, but not the entire school staff (or typically not the entire staff during the same term or chunk of time in a school with just one learning resource teacher). Together, the two teachers work out a plan to support the learning of all the students in the classroom, including those identified with special needs. The support provided by the learning resource teacher can occur either inside or outside the classroom, but the plan for support is a collaboration of the two professionals, and is curriculum based. Appropriate accommodations for learn-ers (formerly referred to as “adaptations and modifications”) are tied to learners’ needs and to grade-level expectations or learning outcomes.

The learning resource teachers meet as a team weekly to consult with one another. This team may include an ELL teacher, a teacher of the learning disabled, a learning-assistance teacher, and a teacher with a specialty in autism or behavior disorders. However, in their daily work, they assist all students. In their weekly meetings, they share their expertise and help one another solve the ongoing challenges of the classes in which they work. Bringing one’s special skills to the table enhances the capacity of all involved. The learning resource teachers are the link to outside support teams (e.g., speech and language clini-cians, school psychologists, counsellors, and district-level special education consultants), leaving the classroom teacher freer to concentrate on designing effective learning sequences within the classroom.

In Middle School

The developmental uniqueness of students in this age group lends itself to students working with fewer teachers than they will experience in secondary school. Teachers plan in teams to develop ideas and approaches, and a learn-ing resource teacher works with one or two of these teams. Together, classroom and support teachers create classroom learning experiences for students that offer more pathways to learning; engage them in making connections among themselves, the world, and big ideas; and develop all students’ competencies within the regular classroom. When learning resource teachers work with class-room teachers with a focus on all students’ learning, planning can be proactive. Together, classroom and support teachers carry out and use formative assess-ment information to co-plan and co-teach, and what is most important, to build in supports for diverse learners right from the beginning. Where possible, the school timetable is designed to allow team planning time, with the learning resource teacher there as part of the team.

In Secondary School

In secondary schools, the benefits of decreasing the number of support teach-ers involved with students and teachers are many. In secondary school, students and teachers often struggle to see the whole picture: classes are taught by several different teachers, and students do not realize that they can or should use the same effective learning strategies in multiple settings.

Many schools have had significant success when a single learning resource teacher aligns with a single grade and a cross-curricular team of teachers. When a team chooses key strategies and skills to target across a grade, the learning resource teacher can assist them in modeling these strategies, adapting them

The spillover from non-categorical support affects many more students than in the traditional support model. Among the students who benefit are those who are not identified for an individual education plan (IEP), but who need additional teacher time and expertise.


across subject areas; this teacher can also assist the team in making units of study more accessible for all students. By introducing supports that address an individual student’s learning needs, but can be used by all students — for exam-ple, text sets, visual supports, highlighting of key routines, and specific teach-ing strategies — many more students benefit. Often, learning resource teachers co-teach in the classrooms, helping to introduce and reinforce key strategies, supports, and routines from class to class. Everyone in the school community benefits when the learning resource teacher is seen as a valuable and integral member of the team.

Many secondary resource teachers who embrace this model have shared how classroom teachers better understand the many aspects of their work and how they have built stronger relationships with colleagues. All the students who receive support benefit through access to the core curriculum in the context of the regular classroom. They are given an opportunity to experience success the first time they encounter the content, instead of waiting for a chance to be retaught in the resource room. Everyone in the classroom has a better opportu-nity to see and experience previously recommended accommodations in action.

How This Model of Support Affects Participants

When a school implements the collaborative, non-categorical model, all par-ticipants, including classroom teacher, students, and parents, benefit from the approach. This change in service delivery model affects each participant differently.

Classroom Teacher

• Lesstimeisneededtomeetwithsupportteacherstoplanfor,coordinate,and reinforce programming for students with special needs. Because both teachers are together in the room, the question “What did you do with my kids today?” is self-evident.

• Withcollaborativeplanning,accommodationstoenablestudentswithspecial needs to access the ongoing program in the classroom is easier.

• Buildingaclassroomcommunitywhereallstudentsbelongandlearntogether is possible.

• Theexpertiseofthelearningresourceteacherismoreavailablefortheclassroom teacher and her learning.

• Deliveryofthecurriculumbecomesmoredifferentiated.• Thelearningresourceteacherandtheclassroomteacherprovideeach

other with a second set of eyes. Both teachers gain feedback on the effectiveness of their instruction and where student learning breaks down.

• Supportisinstantaneousformorestudentswhenthesecondteacherisinthe classroom.

• Thesaying“Twoheadsarebetterthanone”holdstrue.Thecollaborationnot only provides more direct service to students, but the emphasis on sharing and the opportunity for sharing expertise are central. This is a professional learning community in action.

• Allmembersoftheclassroomhaveabetterideaofthepurposeofclassroom activities and their goal.

The key to matching teaching strategies to outcomes is remembering that a strategy is most effective when it supports the specific, required learning. Sometimes students use a strategy because of its familiarity and that choice of strategy might not be effective in that particular learning context.


Learning Resource Teacher

• Thenon-categoricalmodelneedsonlyashortstartuptime.Directserviceto students can begin almost immediately, instead of having inordinate amounts of time spent in time-tabling, assessment, individualized (separate) planning, and trying to consult and collaborate with teachers after class.

• Ratherthanteachingconceptsorskillsseparatefromthecurriculum,the learning resource teacher has the opportunity to work alongside an experienced curriculum specialist to co-plan how best to integrate the competency development into learning sequences and adapt expectations for the learners with special needs.

• Thespecializedprogrammingthatusedtooccurintheresourceroom,which needed reinforcement in the classroom to really benefit the student, is now easier because both teachers can observe each other work and together support the learning of students.

• Thelearningresourceteachergainsanunderstandingofthecurriculumexpectations of the students and can use his/her expertise to support students’ developing skills, rather than working with a remedial model of learning.

• Weeklyresourceteammeetingsprovideatrustingenvironmentforaskingquestions and sharing expertise.

• Thefocusisonservicedelivery.Thereisashiftfromconcernwithlabelingto increased concern with addressing the learning needs of students.

• Therearefewerclassroomteacherstoconsultwith,andtheconsultationisless on “what we did and what you need to do” and more on “what we can do together.”

• Theexpertiseandskillofthelearningresourceteacherisnotreservedforlabeled students; most students can benefit from more extensive strategic repertoires.

Students

• Programmingforthestudentswhoaremostat-riskinlearningismoreconsistent.

• Accommodationstoenableaccesstothecurriculumarethefocus.• Supportisseamless,sointermediateandmiddle-yearsstudentsneednot

suffer the indignity of being removed from their peer group for extra help.• Feedbackonperformancetowardsthelearningoutcomesofthe

curriculum is faster. Student performance improves with appropriate, immediate feedback, followed by a chance to practise, both with a coach and independently.

• Identifyingstudentsinneedofsupportisalessarduoustask.Withtwoteachers present at key times, a formalized referral process becomes almost nonexistent and the focus is immediately on student need. The key question: Who needs what support in order to be able to access the learning? Students do not need to wait to be tested for identification before receiving service.

• Studentshaveaccesstolearningsupportsdevelopedforandintroducedintheir classrooms.


Parents

• Therearenomixedmessages.Thelearningresourceteacherandtheclassroom teacher align their goals for the student when engaged in continuous, ongoing, side-by-side teaching.

• TherearefewerpeopletotalktoafterreportingandinIEP(individualeducation plan) meetings. Less intimidation for the family follows from fewer required meetings of the full team with the family.

• Theclassroomteacher—orpossiblythesupportteacher—willbecome the primary contact for the parent. This keeps the system from overwhelming the parent with contacts.

• Studentlearningisenhanced.• Theirchildrenwillnotonlyattendaregularschoolandaregularclass,but

will belong in it.

A Comment on Our Examples of Support Delivery

The teaching experiences outlined in this book have occurred in schools that embrace the non-categorical model of support delivery. You will notice as you read that there are times when two teachers are working together in the class and other times when the classroom teacher is alone with the students. Most of the service to students with special needs is delivered within the classroom.

Rarely are students removed from the class for support. When they are removed, however, the learning expectations and the program have been co-planned by the teacher and the learning resource teacher, and the alternative setting has been deemed to be more beneficial to the student’s learning.

First Week Considerations

During the first week with a new class, we set the tone for the year. We involve the students in a variety of structured activities that require them to meet others in the room, engage in discussion, share their findings when reporting back to class, reflect on their learning and on their participation, share their interests, passions, and background knowledge, ask questions, process new information in different ways, and experience learning as an opportunity for connecting, processing, and transforming and personalizing new information (see pages 21 to 24).

One of the few classroom rules that we officially establish with the students is that the classroom must be a safe place for everyone. Students will not take risks in sharing their ideas and fully participating in activities if they perceive that others criticize their opinions. They also will not want to engage in group activi-ties if they feel that they are not welcome to join a particular group. It is critical for the classroom to become a community where all students belong.

Establishing Working Groups

Initially, the students are placed into working groups. If many students in the class know each other already, we work with a quick sociogram based on their writing down the names of two classmates with whom they would like to work. At a glance we can see which names appear frequently, which not at all, what

Further information about how to establish a non-categorical resource team in your school is presented in Learning in Safe Schools, second edition, by Faye Brownlie and Judith King.

The classroom is meant to be a community where all students belong. It must be a safe place for everyone.

During the first or second class, the students in intermediate, middle, and secondary classes are placed in working groups. This can be done randomly or by taking into account the students’ requests. Students in primary classes work with partners, changing frequently.


patterns or cliques are apparent. The goal in forming groups is to support and include all learners. Using these lists we try to work in some of the requests each time we make class groupings. Students are guaranteed that, at some point in the year, they will get their first and second choices of group mates.

Much useful information is gained from this sociogram:

• Wenoticewhichstudentsarewillingtoworkwithanymembersoftheclass. These are often students who may be empathetic to all students, including those with special educational needs. We do not want empathetic students exclusively in groups with students with special needs (or vice versa), but at the beginning of the year they can, with only a little support and coaching, be peer models of inclusion for the rest of the class.

• Wetakenoteofwhichstudentsaremostandleastfrequentlylistedinthe student requests. Many times students want the opportunity to work with another student who is not usually in their social group but who is perceived to be academically strong. Students who look beyond their immediate social group for working partners may be ones we want to enlist as peer models in the development of social skills.

• Thestudentswhosenamesappearinfrequentlyarecarefullyplacedingroups. Before beginning group work, the class talks about the look and sound of a group that is working productively. We circulate throughout the class during group work, assisting students in including all members of the group, in finding cooperative ways of speaking to each other, and in resolving conflict.

We truly believe in the social aspect of learning and in the students’ strong desire to belong. Our personal goal for group work is that, by the end of the year, each student in the class can work with any other student in the class, in a way that promotes the learning of all members of the group.

Day 1: A People Search

Having students make lists of preferred group mates, of course, does not work if most of the students are new to one other because, for example, they are enter-ing a large middle or secondary school from a variety of elementary feeder schools. If this is the case, we proceed to a People Search to help students learn their classmates’ names and begin to become acquainted.

During the first week, we want activities that will require students to move about the room and speak to one another. In a People Search, students must ask their classmates a series of questions in order to discover some of the things that were done over the summer holiday (see the People Search line master, page 20). In this way, every member of the class is approached by others and every member must initiate some conversations. The students love finding out about each other’s summers. Even the students who are learning English as a second or third language actively participate. Once they have heard a question asked, students can use this as a model for approaching others. We move among the students, bridging as necessary to ensure that all are included.

Participating in this People Search on the first day alerts the students to the fact that they are in a class where talking is expected. As we listen to the noise and notice their smiles, we are reminded of what on-task, engaged, happy students look like and sound like. We hope to keep this in mind throughout the year.

20

Pembroke Publishers © 2016 Student Diversity, 3rd ed., by Faye Brownlie, Catherine Feniak, Leyton Schnellert ISBN 978-1-55138-318-7

People Search

Have each person sign in only once. Find someone who, over the summer . . .

• playedalotofonlinegames

Signature

• madeanewfriend

Signature

• traveledbytrainorbyboat

Signature

• learnedhowtodosomethingnew

Signature

• enjoyedspendingtimealone

Signature

• readagreatbook

Signature

• wentsomewheretheyhadneverbeenbefore

Signature

• camped

Signature


Days 2 and 3: A Strategic Sequence

Having now established working groups, we are ready to begin a lesson sequence with a piece of text. There are many different sequences from which to choose. The sequences are built from strategies, each strategy chosen to match a particular purpose:

• connecting with background knowledge and with others, building personal questions

• processing new information by interacting with it, making new connections, revising former understandings

• transforming and personalizing new information so it is stored in long-term memory

We present two different sequences. Both have a low floor and a high ceiling; in other words, the strategies are open-ended enough that all can participate and they also give room for students to be creative. Both model the active learning we expect in the classroom.

Sequence 1: Questioning — Quadrants of a Thought — Information Write

Choose a non-fiction picture book. One book we have used is the picture book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, about a river endangered by pollution.

1. Questioning

• Choosethreepicturesfromthetexttosharewiththestudents.• Placethestudentsingroupsoffour.• Askthisquestionofeachgroup:“Whatdoyouwonderwhenyoulookat

this picture?” Have them record their questions. Encourage students to wonder, but to resist the urge to answer each other’s questions.

• Repeattheaboveprocesswiththetwootherpictures,changingtherecorder in each group with each picture.

• Askstudentstochoosetheirmostcreativequestiontosharefromthefirstpicture, their most thoughtful from the second, and their most imaginative in the third.

• Collectandsharethesequestionsfromthegroups.Trytotalkaboutthequestions without answering them. Doing this allows the students to search for personal answers before reading and as they hear the text.

• Discusstheprocessusedineachgrouptocometoaconsensusonwhichquestion to choose. Doing this gives you more information on what social skills to emphasize in the coming weeks.

2. Quadrants of a Thought

• HaveeachstudentfoldapieceofpaperintofourandlabeltheboxesImages, Words, Senses, and Emotions.

• Askstudentstocollectideasinatleasttwoofthequadrantsasyouread.• Readthetexttothestudents,stoppingthreetimesforclassdiscussion,in

which students can share what they are including in their quadrants.

Sequence 1 consists of these strategies:1. Questioning (connecting)2. Quadrants of a Thought (processing)3. Information Write (transforming and

personalizing)

It is often helpful to have students initially concentrate on two boxes during the reading and add ideas to the others during the class discussion at each break in the reading.


• Asthestudentssharetheirwrittenandpictorialideaswitheachother,encourage them to look for parallels and differences in their thinking.

3. Information Write

• Haveaclassdiscussionfocusingonwhatwaslearned,discoveringwhatsurprised the students, and if using A River Ran Wild, comparing the event in the book to the state of local rivers. (This sequence is based on the idea that you have been saving newspaper clippings on pollution in local rivers or other local environmental issues on which people are taking a stand.)

• Studentswriteaninformationparagraphaboutwhattheyhavelearnedfrom the text, from the discussion, and from local news stories.

Primary students are better supported in focusing on fewer strategies at this time. A Salmon for Simon by Betty Waterton is one of our preferred texts. Begin with “questioning,” but keep the students together as a class and keep this as an oral activity. Encourage each student to ask a question for the first picture, then the second, then the third. Students can now write what they anticipate the text will be about before listening to the reading of the text. Then, after the reading, they can discuss how the author surprised them and extended their thinking, as well as how their thinking matched that of the author.

Sequence 2: Think-Aloud — Visual Thinking — Found Poem

Choose a text. We often use the Salmon Creek by Annette LeBox and Karen Reczuch, about the life cycle of the Pacific salmon.

1. Think-Aloud

• WritethefirstfewlinesofthetextontheSmartBoardforalltosee.Salmon Creek opens with this:

THESE were Sumi’s first memories: water over stones, the scent of creek, darkness so complete she could barely imagine another world larger than the egg case enclosing her.

• Readthistothestudents,explainingwhatisgoingoninyourmindasyouread. For example, you might read, “These were Sumi’s first memories:” and then say:

I wonder who Sumi is? I think this sounds like a girl’s name and I guess she owns the memories because of the apostrophe. This makes me wonder about how you can tell a “first” memory. I don’t think mine are from when I was really young. I notice this line ends with a colon. That usually means a list is coming. I predict the list will be a list of her memories.

• Continuethinkingaloudasyouread.• Brainstormwiththestudentstoidentifythestrategiesyouusedinreading.

Record them where the class can see the names.

Sequence 2 consists of these strategies:1. Think-Aloud (connecting)2. Visual Thinking (processing)3. Found Poem (transforming and

personalizing)


• WritethenextpieceoftextontheSmartBoard.Chooseashortpiece,asyou did with the first excerpt.

• Placethestudentsinpartners.Onestudentwillreadthepieceoftextaloudto the other, thinking aloud to show the connections, questions, and ideas he/she has while reading. The second partner will coach. The students may choose to use any of the strategies you used, or they may use others.

• Addtothebrainstormedlistotherstrategiesthestudentsidentify.• Thepartnerwhowasinitiallythecoachnowdoesthethink-aloud

while the other partner coaches. Again, after the discussion, add to the brainstormed strategy list.

• Complimentthestudentsonthedepthandbreadthofthereadingstrategies they have identified. Reinforce that this active reading is what creates long-term memory and what engages readers with text.

2. Visual Thinking

• Havethestudentsdrawalargethinkingbubbleontheirpapers.• Continuetoreadthetextaloud,notshowingthepictures.Havethe

students draw the images they have in their minds as you read.• Afterreadingafewpages,stopandcollectsomeoftheimagesthatthe

students are recording.• Remindthestudentsthatideasaremeanttobesharedinthisclassandthat

it is a compliment if someone borrows one of their ideas.• Continuereadingandcollectingimagesforseveralpages.• Havethestudentsreviewtheirimagesandtrytolabelthemwithspecific

language they have heard in the text. It is helpful to model this labeling. Students may wish to label with a partner. The labeling helps them synthesize their thinking about the text, and recall and build specific text language.

• Finishreadingthetextbyjustreading.

3. Found Poem

• Rereadthetextthenextday,showingtheillustrations.• Readthefirstquarterofthetextagain.Asyouread,havethestudentsfocus

on words or phrases that are so significant that they stay ringing in their ears, even after the text has been read.

• Stopattheendofthefirstquarterandaskthosestudentswhosebirthdaysare in three months you identify (one quarter of the year) to stand. Each of these students will contribute a word or phrase. Together, the students will build a poem that captures the essence of this part of the text. Because they are creating poetry, repetitions are fine, and phrase or sentence length may vary from one word to many. Students are always amazed at how poetic they sound and at the many ways these phrases can be ordered to create a different sounding poem.

• Repeatthisprocess,stoppingafteranotherquarterofthepoemandhavingstudents whose birthdays are in a different set of three months make a poem.

• Continueuntilallthetexthasbeenreadandallstudentshavecontributedto a found poem. Talk with the students about flow and connections, and about the ease with which they have collaboratively constructed a poem.


• Now,students,aloneorinpartners,writeafoundpoembasedontheirinterpretation of the text, their response to the text, a retelling of the text, or whatever you choose the focus for writing to be.

Primary students enjoy the play of language of creating an oral found poem from books that are read aloud. They listen for words or phrases that they want to remember and share them in short poems (organized by shoes with/without Velcro, those with laces, those with toes we can see, . . .). Sometimes we read the text twice to the students before beginning to create the poem. Our younger students have enjoyed creating found poems from A Dog Is a Dog by Stephen Shaskan and Stellaluna by Janell Cannon.

Middle and secondary learners also benefit greatly from these kinds of sequences. There are terrific resources related to environmental and social issues that lend themselves to such sequences. Weslandia by Paul Fleischman is a hit in middle school, and Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan, a hit in secondary school. Working together in this way creates community and sets a classroom tone that encourages collaboration, the communication of diverse perspectives, and critical and creative thinking.

Week 1 in Review

These initial strategies have been deliberately chosen because they do not require participation solely through print or relying only on individual response. They allow students with special needs to participate and help those learning English to acquire the language of the curriculum while they are devel-oping their ability to use the English language. The specific activities have been chosen because we want to emphasize the community that we are building in our classroom and the links that our curriculum will make to the world outside the classroom. We are now ready to delve more deeply into concepts and com-petencies from the curriculum and continue our journey together.

All of our students are better able to participate if we allow them talk time, some movement, repetition, small-group work, and opportunities to draw and write to express their thinking before requiring a written response.

Brownlie / Feniak / Schnellert

Student Diversity

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Faye Brownlie has been a classroom teacher and a learning resource teacher in grades K-9, and now works in literacy and learning staff development in British Columbia, nationally and internationally. Faye is known for her co-planning, co-teaching, co-assessing, and reflecting on lessons with K-12 teams of teachers. The lead designer of several performance-based reading assessments used extensively in B.C. schools, Faye has co-authored many books for educators.

Classrooms are richer, more vibrant learning spaces when all students are included. Although a diverse group of students may pose challenges, teachers can overcome these challenges and invite all students to become engaged learners, both academically and socially.

Based on extensive classroom research, Student Diversity presents many examples of teachers working together to improve their teaching practice – from the primary and early years to middle school and the secondary years. It offers insights into all aspects of literacy instruction along with frameworks for successfully integrating mathematics and other subject areas into powerful learning opportunities.

This remarkable book provides teachers with the tools they need to better support all students in their classrooms. It shows teachers how to create more vibrant learning by

• collaborating with colleagues and specialists to achieve more• using data to inform instruction• helping students feel safe and engaged• offering voice and choice to motivate students• encouraging students to make personal connections with a topic• taking time for thoughtful conversation, activity, and involvement

Improving instruction is the key to improving student outcomes. This third edition of the popular Student Diversity is rooted in the belief that learning occurs when students interact with teachers and the quality of that interaction is what this book is all about.

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Student DiversityTeaching strategies to meet the learning needs of all students in K-10 Classrooms

F A Y E B R O W N L I E | C A T H E R I N E F E N I A K | L E Y T O N S C H N E L L E R T

3rd Edition

Catherine Feniak is known for her work in literacy, assessment, and inclusion. She has taught students in diverse classrooms from Kindergarten through Grade 10 in rural and urban British Columbia schools and in Melbourne, Australia. In her role as a school principal, Catherine collaborates with classroom teachers to plan and teach Writers Workshop.

Leyton Schnellert has been a classroom teacher and a learning resource teacher in grades K-12, and is now Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan. Leyton’s research explores how our teaching practices that embrace student diversity, inclusive education, and self- and co-regulation can help build collaborative and responsive learning communities. He has co-authored six books for educators.

Student Diversity: Teaching strategies to meet the learning needs of all students

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